Tune town: A spotlight on San Diego musician Nena Anderson

From Jewel, Switchfoot and P.O.D. to Tom Waits, Rocket From The Crypt and Andra Day, this fair city has produced more than its fair share of top talent over the years.

Here's a look at Nena Anderson, a local musician that's worth tuning into now.

About the musician

Established: 2011

Genre: Americana, country, roots rock, jazz, blues, rock

Biggest hit: "I Fall in Love Too Fast"

Worst day job: "Maybe I've been lucky, but I've never had a terrible day job. I've always tried to make the best of things. There was one time when I worked for a marketing company when I was 19. I lasted one day. That first day of training and work, I discovered it was a door-to-door sales force, trolling the business parks. No thanks."

Nena Anderson. (John Audley)

Nena Anderson. (John Audley)

If it weren't for music, I'd be: "Designing, cooking, gardening. I still do all those, too. I'd also be stressed out and not very happy - music is the great leveler and release, emotionally and physically. When I'm not playing music, I'm not whole. I don't play music for other people, I play for my own sanity. Of course, I do need an audience for music to be my job. It's always astonishing to me that people appreciate what I do."

Next local gig: The first Sunday of every month at Solace & Moonlight Lounge (25 E. E St., Encinitas); April 22 at the Casbah (2501 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy); April 29 at Bar Pink (3829 30th St., North Park).

Nena Anderson. (John Audley)

Nena Anderson. (John Audley)

Of note: In addition to her Americana band, Nena Anderson leads the honky-tonk county group Brawley and performs once a month with a string jazz trio in Palm Springs.

"I don't believe in trying to please everyone or smoothing edges to make things palatable. I sing and I write and try to deliver my performances with complete honesty. I want my audience to feel what I felt when I wrote a song. And, for better or worse, I don't feel confined by any particular genre. I love to nod to my influences, whether with a straight country-style song or jazz-inflected vocal. I often will mix up a set that way. It keeps it interesting for me and for my audiences. Artistically, I'm always trying to find an emotional, gut connection with my audiences, to create an understanding that no one is alone, and that we all share similar ups and downs."